Celebrities Split Ahead of the Holidays

Jeffrey Hamilton/Digital Vision(NEW YORK) — It’ll be a less than merry holiday season for at least one famous couple. Just before Christmas, Bethenny Frankel and husband Jason Hoppy announced they’re calling it quits after almost three years of marriage.

“It brings me great sadness to say that Jason and I are separating,” the reality TV star and entrepreneur said in a statement Sunday. “This was an extremely difficult decision that as a woman and a mother, I have to accept as the best choice for our family.”

“We have love and respect for one another and will continue to amicably co-parent our daughter who is and will always remain our first priority,” she added. “This is an immensely painful and heartbreaking time for us.”

Frankel, 42, created the Skinnygirl line of cocktail and nutrition products. She shot to fame as a cast member of “The Real Housewives of New York,” and her marriage to Hoppy was documented on Bravo’s “Bethenny Getting Married” and “Bethenny Ever After.”

Their marriage had been rumored to be on the rocks for months. In July, Frankel told People that putting her family on reality TV strained her relationship, saying “The second year of marriage was not easy. We hit bottom, [but] we came out the other side.”

“I’m done with putting my personal life and family on reality television,” she added. “I went all the way, and I think it may be enough.”

Instead, she said she’s bent on becoming a talk show host. Her daytime talk show, “Bethenny,” is expected to debut nationwide next year.

Meanwhile, Ashton Kutcher pushed forward his divorce from Demi Moore days before Christmas. Kutcher, 34, filed divorce papers in Los Angeles Superior Court Friday, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple separated more than a year ago, and both have moved on — according to People, Kutcher’s spending the holidays with new girlfriend Mila Kunis in his Iowa hometown.

Another estranged couple nearly crossed paths while wrapping up Christmas shopping. According to TMZ, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver missed each other by minutes in the racks of Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills, Calif. They have yet to officially divorce, and rumors of a reconciliation have swirled for months. Time will tell if a Christmas miracle is in the works.